China state firms' profit growth slows

BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The annual profit growth of China's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) moderated to 5.9 percent in 2013, from 8.2 percent in the Jan.-Nov. period and 10.1 percent in the Jan.-Oct. period, official data showed on Tuesday.

The growth pace, however, marked a significant change in fortunes compared to an annual decline of 5.8 percent in 2012.

State-owned non-financial companies made combined profits of 2.41 trillion yuan (393.63 billion U.S. dollars) in 2013, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement on its website.

The total business revenues of SOEs climbed 10.1 percent year on year to 46.47 trillion yuan last year, according to the ministry.

It did not give any explanation for the lower profit growth rate, but said SOEs in sectors including transport, electronics, auto production and real estate posted relatively fast profit growth, while those in non-ferrous metals, coal mining and chemicals reported declines.

China's economy grew 7.7 percent in 2013, the lowest in 14 years, but nevertheless overshooting the government's target of 7.5 percent.